NEW BRITAIN, Conn. (Interstat) — A matchup of starkly contrasting fortunes highlights the Northeast Conference women’s basketball slate Saturday as the surging Fairleigh Dickinson Knights visit the struggling Central Connecticut Blue Devils. The Knights (21-4) enter William H. Detrick Gymnasium riding a nine-game winning streak and sitting atop the conference. Their most recent outing was an 84-64 victory over Mercyhurst on Feb. 7, where forward Leah Crosby posted a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Crosby has been a consistent force, recording double-doubles in two of her last five games. Conversely, the Blue Devils (0-23) are seeking their first win of the season. They are coming off a 50-41 home loss to Wagner on Feb. 7, a game in which guard Jessica Farrell played all but one minute and scored a team-high 13 points. Farrell has been a workhorse, averaging over 35 minutes per game during this stretch. The teams met just over three weeks ago in Teaneck, New Jersey, with Fairleigh Dickinson securing a decisive 76-45 victory on Jan. 22. In that contest, Crosby contributed 10 points for the Knights, while Farrell led the Blue Devils with 10 points. Fairleigh Dickinson’s success has been built on defensive pressure, holding opponents to an average of 49.2 points during their current win streak. Central Connecticut, averaging 56.7 points per game, has found consistent offense difficult to generate. The Knights will look to maintain their momentum behind Crosby and supporting contributors like Rebecca Osei-Owusu and Madlena Gerke, who combined for 30 points and 16 rebounds in the win over Mercyhurst. Central Connecticut will rely heavily on the endurance and scoring of Farrell, alongside Lucia Noin, to challenge the conference leaders on their home floor. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. EST on Saturday, Feb. 14.